Improvement in the manufacture of bessemer-steel-converter tuyeres



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. ATWOOD, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT m THE MANUFACTURE or BESSEMER-STEEL-CONVERTER TUYERES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,726, dated November 18, 1873; application filed November 7, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. ATWOOD, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Bessemer Steel, of which the following is a specification This invention has for its object to improve the construction of the tuyeres employed in the process of manufacturing bessemer steel, in order to render the same more durable in use and simple in construction than others heretofore made. The invention consists in forming the tuyere of a refractory material, such as Jersey clay or other fire-brick clay, combined with fine molding sand or loam, the various materials being intimately mixed and molded into shape with the necessary cylindrical or conical shaped blast openings, and subse quently subjected to a baking process, until the tuyere presents a dark yellow color, which determines the completion of the baking operation.

A tuyere composed of the materials specified diifers in many important respects from the tuyeres now in use, whether composed of fire-clay or of a carbonaceous material, for the latter are, in a comparatively short time, worn 011 or disintegrated, so far as the surface exposed to the metal is concerned, while in a tuyere constructed according to my invention the air, in its passage through the blast-holes, will tend to vitrify the surface with which it comes in contact, and also cause the top of the tuyere to become vitrified to such a depth that the molten metal cannot wash away or enlarge the blastholes as in clay tuyeres.

be used for as many as twenty-five to thirtyiive heats or blows before being rendered use less. It has also been found that the original form or dimensions of the blast-holes are preserved to a great extent during a constant use of the tuyere, and therefore no apprehension need exist as to the wearing awa Y or enlargement of the inner surface thereof, as in the old form of tuyeres.

The materials used in the formation of the tuyeres are combined in about the proportions of one-half loam or molders sand and onehalf of fire or other suitable clay, for it has been found that the vitrification and solidifieaing also decidedly superior in many respects to the latter.

I claim as my invention-- A tuyere for the manufacture of steel by the bessemer process, composed of fire-clay and loam or molders sand, prepared substantial] y as described, for securing the vitrification of the tuyere, as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of November, 1873.

JAS. E. ATWOOD. Witnesses: JAMES L. Nonms, ALBERT H. Normrs. 

